Types of sensitive skin and the causes behind them

Do you have sensitive skin?

If yes, you need to know that not all skin sensitivities (i.e. dryness, redness, irritation) are the same. So how do you pinpoint what’s really going on under your skin?

Scroll down to find out about the type of sensitive skin you have and what you can do about it!

Taut and itchy skin

What could this mean?

Did you know that the number one culprit behind unnecessary irritation is that your cleanser is too drying! Your skin is your protection barrier against the outside world. And if your cleanser is too harsh (and inevitably breaks down the natural lipids in your skin), your skin would lose moisture more easily and become more sensitive. Suddenly products that were fine before are now irritating to your skin.

Medik8 cleanser are all FREE from soap, sulfates, parabens, alcohol, synthetic fragrance and petrochemicals. They are also pH balanced. And effectively preps your skin for any subsequent products you’ll be using, so active ingredients (like vitamins or sunscreen) can penetrate and be most effective. >> Find out more HERE <<

Burning & Stinging sensation

What could this mean?

You’re probably having anti-aging ingredients overload. It’s just a matter of probability, when you use too many skin care products, chances are some might irritate your skin. Also mixing and combining different skin care ingredients might not be the best idea. Some ingredients for example retinoids and AHA are supposed to exfoliate. So when you use them both together you could over exfoliate and irritate your skin.

What should you do?

Stick to a moisturiser and 1-2 serums fortified with anti aging ingredients. For anti aging, Medik8 recommends the use of vitamin C serum + moisturiser with sunscreen in the day time and vitamin A serum (Retinol) + night moisturiser at night. >> Find out more HERE <<

Redness or flushing, sometimes accompanied by tiny red pimples

What could this mean?

You might have rosacea. This is characterised by blood vessels that swell (and thus causing redness). This often happens with the slightest agitation from either cold, heat, stress or even spicy foods.

What should you do?

Although the exact causes are unknown. It’s recommended to apply broad spectrum sun protection everyday to prevent the redness from getting worse. As for treatment, do consider using Medik8 Red Alert. Once applied, it actively reduces the appearance of skin redness. At the same time, it also provides intensive, calming relief for redness and flare-ups caused by skin hypersensitivity. Red Alert also helps to improve the lipid barrier of your skin which visibly reduces the signs of soreness and surface irritation. Find out more about Red Alert HERE.

For more serious and persistent rosacea, do consult your skin specialist, who can recommend the right treatment for your skin.

Rough, scaly patches on your skin

What could this mean?

It could be eczema. If you’re suffering from eczema, you’ve got a faulty barrier (skin) which allows water to escape easily, causing dryness and flakiness. And when you get any irritants (for example smoke, synthetic fragrances, etc) on your skin, your skin gets easily inflamed.

Small red bumps (not pimples) on your face that may be itchy

What could this mean?

This could be a sign that you’re allergic to one of your products. When an allergy attack happens, your skin’s immune cells react, causing many symptoms like red bumps, followed by dryness, flakiness and a leathery texture. Frequent causes of allergy are synthetic fragrance, artificial dyes, preservatives (like parabens), etc.

What should you do?

When starting on new products, you should introduce slowly and one at a time. So that if you get any allergic reaction, it’ll be easier to pinpoint the culprit. And if you have especially sensitive skin, you might want to consider patch testing on your neck or hand (before trying on your face).

It’s impossible to eliminate risk of irritation altogether. What you could do however, is to reduce it by using products that are FREE from synthetic fragrance, colours, and other known allergens.

Medik8 products are designed with green chemistry techniques that is kind to your skin and to the environment. At the same time, they contain the active ingredients in innovative delivery methods that have been scientifically proven to deliver you results!